Case Studies

Communication Matters

Short isn’t Simple

7/6/2017

Short isn’t Simple

Communications professionals know that keeping things short is important. But investment clients want to know the people handling their money are experts. How do you show deep knowledge while keeping things digestible for your clients?

The first rule of keeping things short and effective is this: short isn’t simple. Practical, to-the-point messages are harder to create and harder to get right than a barrage of details. The key to success is in building on what your clients already know.

If you’ve ever coached kids’ sports, you get this. Good coaches don’t barrage players with everything they know. They figure out what the kids have already mastered and branch out from there, one step at a time. Importantly, this approach works for professional athletes as well as middle schoolers.

Be Useful

Likewise, whether you’re talking to a retirement investor or a large institution, you need to know what’s key information – and what isn’t. And you need to use language that is familiar to your client. Here’s how: